With promotion to Triple-A, Kingery remains on fast track to the Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Scott Kingery bats against the New York Yankees during a spring training at Bright House Field. Kingery was promoted to Triple-A on Monday.(Photo: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

ALLENTOWN – A little more than two years ago, Scott Kingery's professional baseball career was just getting underway.

The Phillies' 2015 second-round draft pick has lived up to the reputation that he'd be a fast-track player through the organization, earning a promotion Monday to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

His performance at Double-A Reading – .313 average, .379 on-base percentage and .987 OPS in 69 games – left no doubt as to Kingery's readiness to be challenged by the next level.

It sets up the 23-year-old Kingery to challenge for a spot on the 2018 Opening Day roster or at the very least, a midseason promotion next year if he keeps playing well.

He learned of his call-up to the IronPigs on Sunday – exactly two years to the day he made his pro ball debut at Low-A Lakewood.

"They did say at the very beginning that I could have a chance to move up quickly if I could hit well," Kingery said Monday. "For me, I didn’t think about trying to move up too fast. It was more about improving every day where I was at. They obviously think highly enough about me that they have moved me up at least one level every year."

Kingery's promotion gives the IronPigs another intriguing prospect only a step away from joining the Phillies. Of the top 13 prospects in the Phillies' farm system, as ranked by MLB.com, six of them were in the IronPigs' starting lineup Monday, including Kingery (rated No. 11).

"You obviously hear stuff," Kingery said. "It’s hard to just block out everything, so I’ve been thinking about it. I know I was having a good season, so I just didn’t know when it was going to be.

"I try not to think about [the big leagues]," he added. "I try not to think too far ahead, but it’s definitely awesome to have the Phillies think enough of me to bump me up here."

Kingery's all-around game is something that's missing from the Phillies.

He can steal bases (60 stolen bases while caught stealing only 11 times in his minor-league career) and also hit for power (47.1 percent of his hits at Reading this year went for extra bases). His plate patience helps him get on base at a solid rate, too.

And defensively, he possesses quick hands and has shown good range at second base. It was on display Monday, making an incredible diving catch, over-the-shoulder catch in shallow right field to save a run.

Kingery, who singled in his first Triple-A at-bat, does a little bit of everything and does it well. He's not exactly flashy, but he's fun to watch and a steady player who can be relied on. It's easy to imagine him making an impact in the Phillies' lineup.

"You could see all the tools are there," said IronPigs manager Dusty Wathan, who managed Kingery at Reading last year. "He can run, his hands are tremendous at second base. If you were looking at a guy and say, 'We want you to field a ground ball like that,' he'd be at the top of your list."

The emergence of Kingery's home run power this year at Reading has been an unexpected development. He hit 18 home runs in 278 at-bats with Reading after recording only eight homers in 783 minor-league at-bats prior to this season.

Reading's home ballpark is known as a hitter-friendly environment, but Wathan is confident that Kingery's home run numbers aren't a total fluke.

"Everybody talks about the 'Reading Factor' but to me, it's probably only a couple home runs," Wathan said. "You take those couple home runs, they're outs maybe, maybe one or two of them are doubles or triples. This is a good ballpark for him. It's built well for a guy like him that can run and has a little bit of power."

Kingery said he "100 percent" caught himself by surprise with his power surge.

"I didn’t think I could do that," Kingery said. "I’d say it was the work I put in during the offseason in the weight room. I put on probably ten pounds during the offseason and also a few tweaks in my swing. That combined with a little bit better approach helps."

Kingery's progression this season is creating an interesting situation for the Phillies. Cesar Hernandez, currently on the disabled list with an oblique strain, has played well since last June.

When healthy, he's one of their better players. Now that Kingery is at the highest level, the Phillies could explore moving Hernandez in the offseason to open second base.

Kingery's rise through the organization has been an important development for the struggling, rebuilding franchise.

Extra innings: RHP Vince Velasquez (right flexor strain) is with the IronPigs and will throw a bullpen Wednesday. He is tentatively scheduled to pitch a rehab game Saturday, according to Wathan. Velasquez said he'd throw 50 pitches in the outing.